Computer Problems "Plague" Lambeth Parking Office

3.11.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Sat 16th Aug 2008

Residents trying to pay fines and buy permits are victims of the council's computer plague

Lambeth's Labour Council has blamed poor service for residents trying to renew parking permits and pay fines, on its computer systems, and admitted to an opposition councillor that they have been "plagued" by computer problems, and that that there "were extreme reliability problems with our credit card payment systems."

Lambeth Towers - the parking shop so popular the queues stretch out of the doors

Opposition councillors complained of huge queues at the Lambeth Council Brixton service centre - the only parking office open on Saturdays. And at Lambeth Towers, the limited hours parking office which should serve the north of the borough, there are frequently only two windows out of four open and the queue can go out of the door!

Customer Service Centre in Brixton asks residents to bring in cash

But when people reach the head of the queue, they are often then told the card machine is not working and that they must go nearest cash point almost over a quarter of a mile away.

That is because according to council officials, while they are sorry people waste time queuing, the computers crash without warning,

The same problem has occurred in Brixton, Liberal Democrat Councillor Andrew Sawdon commented.

"Lambeth Council shouldn't ask people to walk down Brixton High Road, draw out large amounts of cash and then walk back to the so-called customer centre with all that cash in their pocket."

Lambeth Council has also blamed problems on staffing reorganisation, with the opening of a new centre in the south of the borough resulting in staff having been spread too thinly to cope with demand.

Liberal Democrat councillor Andrew Sawdon said there had even been bizarre attempts by the council to stop opposition councillors whistle-blowing the problem to the local press.

"It's poor service that brings Lambeth parking into disrepute - not letting people have their say about it," said Cllr Sawdon. "This is not the fair parking service which they keep telling us about!"